The subject matter disclosed herein relates to power grids, and more particularly, to improving synchronization between a power generator and a power grid.
Generators are frequently used to provide electricity for a power grid to power one or more loads. A generator may operate at a certain voltage amplitude, phase, and frequency based on operation of a turbine, such as a gas turbine, steam turbine, or another prime mover. For example, a turbine may provide rotational energy to a shaft that rotates within the generator. The shaft may rotate based on various settings of the turbine, such as an amount of air and fuel entering the turbine. To export power to the power grid, the power generated by the generator is controlled to synchronize with the power on the power grid, and a circuit breaker is closed to electrically couple the generator with the power grid. That is, parameters of the power generated by the generator, such as voltage amplitude, phase, and frequency provided by the generator may be controlled to fall within a range of respective parameters of the grid, such as the voltage amplitude, phase, and frequency, before closing the circuit breaker.
Conventional systems may include synchronization schemes where voltages across the breaker are sensed and the generated voltage is adjusted to meet the grid voltage by sending digital on/off pulses to a voltage regulator to adjust the voltage and speed of the generator. These pulses are used to match the generator voltage and increases or decreases the speed of the turbine to match phase angle with the grid. However, hunting to find the speed of the turbine that corresponds to voltages and phase angles of the power grid may take a considerable amount of time, delaying synchronization. Further, the delay in the response time may be amplified during weak or dynamic grid resulting in manual intervention, which may take even more additional time to synchronize. Because it may take an increased amount of time to synchronize the generator power with the power grid, the grid may become overloaded or further destabilize resulting in an outage. Alternatively and/or additionally, the turbine may waste power during synchronization resulting in less efficient use of fuel.